The book “Bear Snores On” by Karma Wilson demonstrates how sleepy a bear is in winter. Animals gather in the bear’s den and pop corn and drink cider while the bear sleeps through the growing ruckus.
Preschoolers can create a bear cave with brown paper bags. Cut several inches off the top of the bags to make them shorter. Set them on their sides. Have the children glue glitter and cotton balls to the outside of the bags for snow and ice. They can bring stuffed bears from home or make some in the classroom to stuff inside to hibernate.
“Time to Sleep” by Denise Fleming introduces children to the hibernation habits of many familiar animals and insects. As a bear notices the change in the seasons, he wants to tell his friends who also sleep through the winter. The simple text and illustrations show different faces of hibernation
Help the children draw a forest scene with hibernation spots. Include a tree, a log, underground burrows and the mud at the bottom of a pond. Cut a flap of paper to cover these hibernation places and glue in place. Color the front of the flap to blend in with the drawing.
Create preprinted sheets with drawings of hibernating animals. Include bats, snails, skunks, raccoons, frogs, salamanders, groundhogs, ladybugs or other hibernating creatures. Ask the children to cut out the animals and glue them to their hibernation spots (under the flaps).
Songs help preschoolers remember their lessons. Turn hibernation into a song, following the tune to “Frere Jacques.” Sing: “Bear is sleeping. Bear is sleeping. In his cave. In his cave. Wonder when he comes out. Wonder when he comes out. In the spring. In the spring.” Repeat for other hibernating animals, changing their sleeping spot. Skunk is in her den. Squirrel is in the ground. Ladybug is under a log. Frogs are in the pond.
Play at hibernation by creating a hibernating den in the classroom. Use a card table and blankets as a den the children can pretend to hibernate inside.
An alternative lesson that teaches patience is to put a stuffed bear inside a paper bag den with a sign that reads, “Do not wake until spring.” When spring arrives, the sleeping bear can come out of the den to surprise the class.